Yaoundé authorities rescue 20 people from clandestine religious site

Authorities in Yaoundé, Cameroon, discovered 20 people held in an isolated and unsanitary house in the Ngousso neighborhood on September 6, 2026. The group, consisting of 10 women, 8 men, and two children aged 6 and 7, was found crowded in an earthen basement used as a place of worship for a self-proclaimed organization called ‘Mercy of God Ministries’.

The discovery has heightened public anxiety regarding the rise of clandestine religious sites in the capital. This incident follows closely after a security operation in the Essos district on September 2, where approximately 18 minors were rescued from a similar situation.

Local officials, including the Sub-Prefect of Yaoundé V, François Mabaya Essomba, intervened to maintain order as residents gathered at the scene. Investigators are currently working to determine if there is a structural link between the Essos case and the new discovery in Ngousso, while conducting additional checks in other areas such as Nkoabang and Mimboman.